(Avena sativa) A cereal grass cultivated for its edible seed, used by both man and animals. Most commonly used to make the famous breakfast of the Scotsman - Porridge.

are a great source of many nutrients including B vitamins, calcium, protein, unsaturated fat and fiber. Although believed to be introduced in Europe around A.D. 100 it was mainly a crop for livestock. It is easily incorporated into many recipes and is GREAT freshly flaked

Available whole (sometimes called groats), steel-cut (a coarse cut) or rolled into flakes, oats are a whole grain in any format. Even quick-cooking and instant oats retain the bran and germ. Taste: Soft, comforting, rich. How to use: Enjoy steel-cut oats for breakfast; they have a more satisfying, chewy texture than rolled oats and take about 30 minutes to cook. Add dried fruit, such as raisins, apples or dates. Oat groats can be steamed like rice; they take about 45 minutes. 1 cup cooked steel-cut oats has 155 calories, 1g fat, 6g protein, 33g carbohydrates, 5g fiber.

Oats come in many varieties--instant, quick-cooking, and rolled (the long-cooking variety). Rolled oats, which are whole oats with the husks removed, are the type most commonly used in baking. First steamed and then flattened between rollers, rolled oats are used in cereals, cakes, cookies, and breads. Toasting the flakes enhances their flavor. Rolled oats can also be placed in a blender or food processor and ground to a finer consistency before being incorporated in a recipe.

The Oat (Avena sativa) is a species of cereal grain, and the seeds of this plant. They are used for food for people and as fodder for animals, especially poultry and horses. Oat straw is used as animal bedding and sometimes as animal feed. Oats are often served as a porridge made from rolled or crushed oats, oatmeal, and are also baked into cookies together with wheat flour. As oat flour or oatmeal, they are also used in a variety of other baked goods and cold cereals, and as an ingredient in muesli and granola. Oats may also be consumed raw, and cookies with raw oats are quickly becoming popular. Oats are also occasionally used in Britain for brewing beer. Oatmeal stout is one variety brewed using a percentage of oats for the wort.